Episode Notes In this episode of The Secondhand Podcast, Bert Jerred talks about vintage electronic keyboards. When, how, and why did they come about? How do they represent cultural change in the realm of music-making? The Emergence of the Electronic Keyboard In a 2010 article in Music Trades called, “A Century of Premature Eulogies for…

I’ve recently come upon two vintage PortaSound keyboards – one at a thrift store, and the other in a dumpster. In this post, I’m going to tell you about what I found. Then, I’ll share what I’ve made with these nostalgic devices.

Research Papers Research papers are sometimes complicated for the wrong reasons. The process does, however, require some deep thinking about some complex things. In this episode of “Research and Writing,” I talk about a few of those complex things. Hopefully, you will be inspired to approach research papers with a greater sense of purpose –…

Think What has made you the kind of thinker that you are? What has made you the kind of reader that you are? I believe you need to have an answer for this question before you can do useful research – and I think the answer has something to do with overlapping information systems.

Scope This episode takes as its premise the notion that a “text” is a system of functional components, designed for a specific purpose and structured in a way intended to achieve this purpose. I believe, therefore, that composition can begin with the arrangement of ideas and motives – and that that, in turn, begins with…

Structure Writing, even in an academic context, can be approached as a system of functions to which language choices can be applied. In this recording, I talk about how a structural/functional approach to writing can be applied to the standard, 5-paragraph essay. Want to find out more about my research and writing experience? Check out…

Context When we write based on research, we are expected to use reliable sources. So, what makes a source “reliable”? In this recording, I talk about the potential match-up between your source and your topic/essential question, interpreting an abstract, and assessing expertise – all of which may require you to revise your approach. Want to…